Girl of the Golden West at Severance Music Center

The Cleveland Orchestra
The Cleveland Orchestra
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Emily Magee, soprano (Minnie)
Eric Owens, bass (Jack Rance)
Limmie Pulliam, tenor (Dick Johnson)
Tony Stevenson, tenor (Nick)
Scott Conner, bass (Ashby)
Iurii Samoilov, baritone (Sonora)
Owen McCausland, tenor (Trin)
Reginald Smith, baritone (Sid)
Benjamin Taylor, baritone (Bello)
Alok Kumar, tenor (Harry)
Alex McKissick, tenor (Joe)
Joseph Barron, bass-baritone (Happy)
Kyle Miller, baritone (Jim Larkens)
Zachary Altman, bass-baritone (Billy Jackrabbit)
Taylor Raven, mezzo-soprano (Wowkle)
John Brancy, baritone (Jake Wallace)
Michael Adams, baritone (Jose Castro)
Men of the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus

PUCCINI  La Fanciulla del West (opera in three acts, in concert)

Puccini’s The Girl of the Golden West, the operatic equivalent of a spaghetti western, tells the tale of a love triangle between a sultry saloon owner, a carousing constable, and a disguised desperado. Gold rush fever is running high, and every miner in camp hopes to claim the heart of Minnie (Emily Magee) — the pistol-packing, poker-playing proprietress of the Polka Saloon. Even Sheriff Rance (sung by the incomparable Eric Owens) is in hot pursuit, but Minnie's in love with a tall dark stranger — and there's "gonna be a hangin'" unless Minnie can save the day.